Measurement of stress



` March s, 1945. H 'DAVIS 2,370,845

MEASUREMENT OESTE-ESS Filed Feb. 18, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1A INVENTOR I HU Ddr/3S.

` BY l Banu/, 20.7.,

^TT0RNEY March 6, 1945. H DAVE; 2,370,845

- MEASUREMENT oF sTREss Filed Feb. 18, 1942 's sheets-sheet 2 ffy of.

l l l 0 4 8 /2 /6 20 24 E INVENTOR Hanf am.

N BY v ,Dr/mar] CZ/rrem @MM/z. 2.7M?

ATTORNEY Mal'hV 6, v H DAV|S MEASUREMENT 0F STRESS Filed Feb. 18, 1942' 3 SheefS-.Sheet 5 l 77g. a.

6 '0 a0 .2 /Lf-f i l I3 /Io I Temi/e Jress- Thousand lbs/Jy. n. INVENTO /20 .pdl/IS.

" ATroRNEY Patented Mar. 6, 1945 UNITED STAT-Es PATENT oFFlcE MEASUREMENT F STRESS Hunt Davis, Greensburg, Pa. Application February 18, '1942, Serial No. 431,342

mi. F75-183) 24 Claims.

My invention relates to ways and means for determining the mechanical stress in loaded members which have such magnetic properties that their permeabilities vary under different loadings.

It is an object of my invention to provide new means and methods for determining the stress in stressed magnetic materials, especially ferrous structural members.

Present methods for measuring stresses in stressed members depend fundamentally on the measurement of changes in a physical dimension of the member or in deflection of the member, the measuring usually being done by a strain gauge or the equivalent. The change in stress causing such dimensional change or deiiection can then be determined, but such determinations yield only the increment of stress which produced the dimensional or deflective change. Unless the member is initially unstressed or the initial stress known, the actual stress in the member cannot be ascertained. My invention provides a means and lmethod by which the actual stress in a stressed member having an otherwise unknown v final or initial loading, can be readily determined.

It is a more particular object of my invention to provide means and methods for easily determining the actual stress in structural-steel members, for example, girders, beams, columns and the like, which are parts ofverected structures, and are stressed by an unknown dead load or an unknown combination of a dead and live load.

It is an object of my invention to provide a method for magnetically determining unknown stresses in a member of a type described, which method is independent'l of factors variably affecting the magnetic properties of the member, or the measurement of the magnetic properties.

My invention makes use of the fact that for a given fluxvdensity the magnetic permeability of a steel member varies with vdifferent stresses in the member. By comparing, preferably diierentially, the permeability of a portion of the member at which the stress is unknown, with the. permeability of a'portion of the member which is under a known stress, preferably unstressed, such unknown stress in the member can, by means of my invention, be measurably determined; thus divorcing the stress measurements from the strain or deflection methods of the prior art.

Other objects, features, methods and innovations of my invention, in addition to those mentioned above, will be apparent from the following description thereof, which is to be taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. In these drawings:

Fig. l is a. front yview of a form of an instrument used in the practice of my invention, with some electrical connections omitted for clarity;

Fig.A 2 is a central sectional view of the instrument on the line II--II of Fig. i;

Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrammatic views of stressed members, for indicating the application and operation of my invention; s

VFig. 5 is a preferred wiring, diagram of electrical connections for the instrument of Figs. l and 2, which are utilized in the determination of the stress in a stressed member;

Fig. 6 is an illustrative graphic curve by means of which stress in a stressed member can be determined from suitable manipulations and readings `in the electrical connections of Fig. 5; and

Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are illustrative graphs by means of which I explain the principles and operation of my invention.

In the practice and application of my invention I make use of the fact that stressed beams, bars, columns, girders, and other members to which my invention can be applied, usually are substantially or actually unstressed in one direction, particularly at an exterior surface of the member. The magnetic properties in this direction, therefore, may be used as a reference for the magnetic properties of the member in an unstressed condition. The magnetic properties of the stressed member in a location along a stressed direction is compared to the similar properties in the unstressed direction in a manner which is not materially affected by other anisotropic effects, and

from such comparison the stress of the member in the location selected can be ascertained.

Figs. 3 and 4 represent structural steel members as examples, and not as limitations, of members having stresses therein whichcan be determined by my" invention. Fig. 3 shows forces L compressing a bar along the indicated longitudinal or N-S axis of the beam, parallel to the direction 4of the forces L; the compressive stress lines being shown as arrows distributed across the indicated transverse E-W axis, parallel to'which there is comparatively no compressive stress. Fig. 4 shows an I-beam supported at its ends and subjected to a concentrated load L acting on the top flange of the I-beam between the supports. This top flange will be in compression along the indicated N-S axis lengthwise of the beam, and will be substantially unstressed along the transverse E-W axis. Consequently, each such specimen or member has a stressed direction and an unstressed direction; the N-S direction being, in the examples shown, the direction of maximum stress. While I have illustrated and described the stress Wunmehdcs f le estes of twc c; time coils, niels-up coils,

plane which compose pessimi; three-gh coil Where it at angles the plane ascertained by nrenerly placing instrument the meent: n, connecting various coils in trimmers` to te iter described, measuring cer-1 tain electrical quantities in 'the connections, and applying the quantities, in n certain manner, .te a calibration curve 'for the instrument.

'Such as instrument lig-is shown Ain ings. i and 2. it comprises a magnetic structure neming a round bodymplnte" i of uniformthickness, formed with an integral central 'cylindrical pole piece 2';

, Four pole pieces 3nd, il and G5, which are alike, are symmetrically positioned and spaced about the central pole piece 2, at what can be desig= nat-edasicardinai points with. respect thereto, the pole 3 compijsing a north pole, the pole i an east vnele, the pple a south pole and the pole i3 a west pole. Foreccnomicai piece 3, d, 5 and E is provided with a shank J which is tightly tted into a mating hole in the body-plate i, the adjacent vshoulders ci? vthe pole pie'ces rmly seating thereon.. The free ends oi all five o! the pole pieces lie ina plane for providing contact faces which can be placedagainst a fla-t `surface ci a member under exploration.

A primary or exciting -coil or winding 8, con- .nectible to an alternating-current source of energy, is closely placed about pole piece 2; and secondary or pick-up coils or windings I3, I4, l5 -and i6 are closely placed respectively about the pmpieces 3,4, s and s. windings is, u, s and I8 are identical in this instrument. When .current is passed through exciting coil 8,'a common magnetomotive force is established causing. magnetic ilux 4in the pole piece 2, which divides into four flux portions in parallel, because of rthe four branch malnetic paths provided, inpart, by the 4nick-up'im'slepieces 5 and .6. lA flux inaniacture each pole Y a d gelede@ resi s tiireueli each pieken@ cole piece. eee nur: portions are illus= nlngranimatiwlly in 53.

e iiiuz portieri in @ichs-un pole piece, Q, l and (E, a "Joitage in the pieiup coils g 4 y fin 1,4

ein coils SME G force, that is, the flux through the ass-c ,lated pole pieces 3 and 5; sub-excitation current is considerati positive. Similarly, when this euh-excitation magnetcmctive ie este in the opposite sense from the' excitinf n@giratemotiue force or cnil G, that is, decreases the flux through' the associated pcie ,nieces Bend 5; the

sub-excitation current is considered negative.

The magnetetnotive fences of the sub=excitation coils il and i9 neutralize each other with respect to the magnetic petit which is common. to both ci them in im entirety.

A set ci commectionsl usabie in the practicai use ci the instamment P u shown :in Eds. 5, these connectie@ heine hereinafter described with reierence theretolulnergiringieads 2@ and 2i are cennectibie tc suitable source of alternatingcurrentcrclinary commercial dilacycle power, re-

ducedtc proper operating voitage if desired, being suitable. A. potentiometer 22, across the leads 255 and 2i, has an adjustable tap 23 connected to a conductor 2Q connected to a center terminal 2d of a single pole double throw switch 25 having a switch blade 2li. With the blade 2 in the upper position, the exciting coil r23:.is energized through a circuit including upper terminal 23 of switch 26, a conductor 29,'the coil 8, aconductor 30, and 'an exciting-circuit-ammeter 3l having one terminal connected to the lead Il. With the blade -21 in lower. position, a calibrating circuit is completed to the lead 2l through a' variable. resistor 32, aconductor ,junctio'n 3l, a

calibrating iixed standard resistor 35, and accli-` brating ammeter 36;-thls calibratlng circuit being used to calibrate a vacuum-tube voltmeter 31.

'The series connected sub-excitation coils IJ and Il are variably energized'through a poten- Y `tiometer 4I connected across the vleads 20 and 2|.

The potentiometer Minas an adjustable tap 4I cdnnected to a conductor Il whichls connected toa center terminal of a double pole' reversing e nick-up coils I switch 43, the other center terminal of which is connected to a conductor 46. The end terminals of the switch 43 are cross connected to the subexcitation coils i1 and I9 which are in series. The sub-excitation circuit is ultimately completed from the conductor 46 through a subexcitation circuit-ammeter 41. and a conductor 48 to the lead 20. When the switch 43 is closed in one position, e. g., the up position, the coils I1 and I9 are so poled and connected that they can produce a sub-excitation magnetomotive force acting on pole pieces 3 and 5, which aids the action thereon of the main exciting magnetomotive force produced by coil 8; and when the switch 43 is closed in its other, or down, position, such sub-excitation magnetomotive force ls made to oppose the main exciting magnetomotive force thereof. In the former instance the subexcitation current through the coils I1 and I9 is considered additive or positive with respect to the exciting current through the coil 8, and in the latter instance it is considered subtractive or negative with respect to this exciting current.

In the application of the instrument for ascertaining stress, the voltages Vus and Vew are combined in two different manners and the resultant voltage in each case is measured by any suitable voltmeter, shown in Fig. 5 as being comprised by the vacuum-tube voltmeter 31 having an ampliiier 5I and indicator 52. The combined voltage is applied to the voltmeter through conductors 53 and 54; and power for amplification is obtained from power leads 55.

Two double-throw double-pole switches 56 and 51, the latter being a reversing switch, permit the voltages Vns and Vew to be combined additively or subtractively. The switch 56 in the up position causes the combined voltage to be applied to the voltmeter 31. With the coils I3, I4, I5 and I6 properly poled, the up positions of the switches 56 and 51 cause the voltages to be combined additively, that is, Vns -and Vew are in phase, as will be understood by those skilled in the electrical art. By' throwing the reversing switch 51 to down position the voltages are com- 'bined subtractively, that is Vns and Vew are 180 out of phase.

By throwing the switch 56 to the down position, the voltage drop across the standard resistor 35 is` represented by a reading on the voltmeter indicator 52.

In general, the instrument P is utilized for determining stress in a member by placing the free ends of the pole pieces against a relatively flat surface of the member, the poles 3 and 5 along the stressed direction, which is assumed to be the longitudinal direction, and the poles 4 and 6 transverse thereto.- With reference to Figs. 3 and 4 it may be assumed that the pick-up poles 3, 4, 5 and 6 are respectively along the `N, E, S, and W- axes, or along axes respectively parallel to these',A and the exciting pole 2 at the intersection or origin. l

The instrument is operated with two diierent selected operating, total magnetic uxes successively established in .the pick-up -pole pieces. Whenever an exciting-alternating current passes through the exciting coil l, a. common magnetomotive force is established, whichA produces a total operating iiux consisting of `iiux portions passingtbrougheachofthefcurparallelmagnetic paths comprising, rpectively, ,the pole pieces 3 4, 5 and 6. The tluxportions parallel totheNSdiz-ectionarenotequalto the ilux portions parallel to the EW direction.

For any such total operating ux f, the difference between Vm and Vew is due to the difference in distribution of the iiux between the NS direction and the EW direction; which, when there is no sub-excitation current, is due to the diierence in reluctances of the magnetic paths which are along a stressed direction and an unstressed direction, respectively, in the member.

The diierence between Vus and Vew may be made Substantially Zero by passing an adjustable sub-excitation current i through the coils I1 and I9, which, in effect, may be considered as causing an adjustable additional flux (positive or negative with respect to the main flux produced by coil 8) to pass through the poles 3 and 5. For the operating ux f, the sub-excitation current required to make (Vue-Vw) equal to zero is a direct measure of the difference in reluctance, at the location of the instrument, between the external portionsl of the magnetic path, extending substantially between the ends `of pole pieces 3 and 5, and the portion similarly extending between the ends of the pole pieces 4 and 6. The sub-excitation current' i required to make Vns equal Vew is compared to another sub-excitation current I required to produce the same results with a different magnetomotive force on the pole piece 2, producing a different total operating flux F. The difference between I and i is used to ascertain the stress in the member at the location of the instrument, from a calibration curve which accompanies the instrument P, such a curve having been obtained from applying the instrument to a. specimen subjected to known stresses. A graphic-curve of this kind is shown in Fig. 6. Operating fluxes f and F are caused to pass through the instrument in obtaining the calibration curve, so that it is necessary to duplicate these operating uxes when testing unknown members. This is done by observing, when obtaining this calibration curve, the total -induced voltage output of the pick-up coils connected additively in series, which accompanies an operating iiux and is a measure thereof; and duplicating this operating voltage when testing a member for stress therein.

Use of instrument With lthe instrument on the ferro-magnetic member to be tested, all switches of Fig. 5 are open except switches 21 and 56 which are closed in down position. The calibrating circuit, in-

, cluding the Calibrating standard resistor 35 and calibrating ammeter 36, is closed, causing an 'ascertainable-voltage drop across the resistor,

indicator 52.

The blades of switches 2E, 56; 51 are then placed in up positions, completing the exciting circuit to the exciting coil 8, and `completing a pick-up circuit in which the pick-up coil voltages Vm and Vew are additively combined, producing a. combined voltage Ee equal to Vm-I-Vw. This additive combined voltage Ec is applied to the voltmeter 31. By adjusting the tap 23 of potentiometNP 22, the exciting entrent in the coil can tied indicato? nclieetes vaine eine an additive combined voltage is es luoi voltage Ef foi desired operating iii/2:1 51"'.

ltion, thereby connecting "ifm eubtractvaw l fi ewitc'n', 'tiie 'P oompieted tiiroiieii the tap @i9 switch. and and am 5U., cti fl* excitation currents ate such that the voltages "Vm and Vee when additiveiy combined yield a voitage Ec=iia and when eubtiactively combined yieid a voltage Es which is aero or the ieast such diierential voltage that is obtainable. i/Vlien this result is obtained for the operating flux the sun-excitation i and its sense are noted, and then5 without moving the instrument withu respect to the member, the steps are repeated for an addiD tive voltage equal to En, the operating voltage corresponding to the other operating :duit l?. sTiie sub-excitation current at which the new eddie tivevoltage oi Vm and Vw is En and the subtractive voitage is aero or a minimum, is also noted.

have found experimentally that the algebraic diiierence between the sub-excitation currents 'i and I for the two operating voltages E: and EF, corresponding to operating fluxes f and E', is a measure ofthe stress in the member being tested, in accordance with a calibration curve such as shown in Fig. 6. For ferro-magnetic members of materials oi" generally similar composition,`such as any of the different forms of structural niembers, a .single calibration curve is utilizable with its associated instrument P. The calibration curve. is independent of the variations in reluctance and directional properties of such members when it is obtainedfrom a calibrating specimen `of the same general class of composition as that of the members to which the instrument is to be applied for ascertaining stress.

The calibration curve of Fig. 6, is speciically iormeasuring tensile stresses in structural steel members; and applies to -a cold-rolled annealed steel instniment of the following chars. teristics:

n and thiciness ci %=incii, espeetiveis.

Diameters ci pickeup pcie pie-ces piece, 1/2 inch and :tecla Length of pole pieces to o Excitation coii Q, 255 o" ill #30. wim

ieeici D wire; f

ces between o and picitnnp pcie piece. 9

Such excitati and e:

volta tei Ace instrnme' portion flu-IB, "rn-2 C and ranches; but and l are bottl from branch i- .l the stress is read so are oi 4:13.

qeeloraie nection wi n e entire a of the di is Q values l. sii branch Ier-eC.

is orementioned, in

.once on a member to which ae op known stresses. The exemptes of o or could be such specimens. instrument seitz ably placed on the specimen, with the described axes aligned, and izept in this position tot a se@ ries of readings. The excitmg coli S by any initial current producing an additive voit age of Vm plus'Vaw which is Es for the known to be in the member to time itat-"55 axis at tbe disposition of the instrument on the specimen. The conductoirs e, w and e, e ose then connected subtractiveiy., and sabres itation our rent passed through the ils' and EQ. This subrecitation cwcrent fin amount until the diner-ence between v cioe is a minimum or zero. Actually, the obtainable diiferential voltage may be not nero, 'but may be some small value, due, perhaps, to harmonics os phase-angle displacements between exciting and sub-excitation flux. The additive voltage E@ is now measured and noted. This subexcitation current for the existing stress is noted. The same procedure is carried out at the same stress with diierent values of exciting current through the coil 8, corresponding respectively to additive voltages Ep. Eq, Er A.' and so on, so that a series of points is obtained for thevone value of stress each ypoint beingf used for a.l separate curve of sub-ex- 65citation current against stress; and. each point being representative at such stress value of the sub-excitation current for thatvalue o! stress,

J which is required for a'mlnimum differential voltage (vnr-Vw) at the associated operating flux as measured bythe additive voltage (Vari-vow) LEp, Eq, El"

as the case may be. With another value ot'stress -in the specimen, 75 the sub-excitation current Avalues 'for minimum -operating voltage Ep, Eq, Eq.

differential voltages are again ascertained, but this time with exciting currents producing the same additive voltages as in the rst or original series of tests, and such runs are repeated through the desired range of stresses.

From this data, a series of separate curves are obtained two of which are curve p in Fig. 8 and curve r in Fig. 9; the former curve showing the values of sub-excitation current required to give minimum subtractive voltage with different stresses in the specimen and a certain combined additive voltage Ep always produced; and the latter curve showing the values of sub-excitation current required to give minimum subtractive voltage with these different stresses in the specimen when the combined additive Voltage is always Er.

As many curves are obtained as is desired; each 'associated with a different operating combined additive. voltages Ep, Eq, Er, representing diierent operating fluxes p, q, r The curves are all obtained at the same position and location of the instrument with respect to the specimen.

The sub-excitation current against stress curves for the different operating voltages Ep, Eq, Er are not the same, and a pair is chosen, in this case, curve p and curve r, which has, on the whole, the greatest difference in sub-excitation currents across the range of stresses. Thus, the curves p and r are repeated in Fig. 10, and the differences in their ordinates for each stress are utilized to obtain a curve suchas A-B-D of Fig. 6. The combined additive voltages Ep and Er are the operating voltages, respectively proportional to two operating uxes, for the instrument having this calibration curve.

It should be pointed out, however, that I have found that the points on the curves p, 1', etc., do not necessarily repeat themselves under the same stress conditions in the specimen, when the instrument is placed in other locations on the specimen, and that a family of curves for each can be thus obtained by varying the instrument location. Figs. 8 and 9 show such families of curves, p and r corresponding to one location of the instrument on the specimen, p1 and r1 to another location, and so on; the curves' with corresponding superscripts being associated with a location, different from the others, of the instrument on the specimen.

Generally, the curves of a family for each value of operating voltage and corresponding operating flux, such as shown in Fig. 8, generally cor respond in direction; but with some values of operating voltages, some locations produced curves such as r4 and r, shown in Fig. 9, which deviated considerably in some ranges from other curves of the family for reasons which I have not been able satisfactorily to explain as yet.

I have observed that for all pairs of corresponding curves p and r, or p1 and r1, or p2 and r2, etc., derived for a single disposition or location oi' the instrument on the specimen, the difference in ordinates for a given stress value is the same tor practical purposes. Consequently," the curve A-B-D` of Fig. 6 will be obtained irrespective of which pair is chosen. However, for the pairs of curves 'p4 and r4, and p5 and 15, the curve A-B-C results, so that a calibration curve may have two branches.

It should be pointed out that each family of curves has upper and lower limits of sub-excitation current for each stress (represented by 1' and f in Fig. 8, and p and ps in Fig. 9), between which the other curves of the family lie, for all different locations of the instrument on the specimen.

The different curves in a family, such as p, P, p, p3 apparently result from different physical or anisotropic conditions arising from placing the instrument differently on the specimen, for example, variations in the small air gaps between the polesfaces and surface of the specimen: and it may be that curves such as r4 and f5 indicate relatively exceptionally large such airgaps. It is this uncontrolled anisotropic air-gap variation and the variable unknown directional magnetic properties due to the grain-anisotropy of a member in which the stress is to be determined, that makes it desirable to use the diiTerence between two sub-excitation currents obtained from two different operating uxes for' measuring the stress. I have found this difference in such currents to be a function solely of the stress in ferro-magnetic members, and independent of other anisotropic effects.

It is not necessary to have an absolutely clean and smooth surface on the stressed member upon which the pole pieces of the instrument rests, but air-gaps over als" should preferably be avoided; by air-gap meaning substances, including air, between the pole pieces and specimen or member, having approximately unity permeabil ity. Ordinary rust, scale or paint layers are usually less than gli" thick so that the instrument can be placed directly on such a member. If such a layer has a greater thickness, or the layer is very irregular it may be desirable to scrape or sand it down, or otherwise smoothen it.

In general, more turns in the pick-up coils, or fewer turns in the sub-excitation coils, or both, increase the sensitivity of the instrument. The number of turns in the main exciting coil depends on the exciting currents desired; but smaller magnetomotive forces are advisable if the members to be explored are known generally to have low permeabilities.

It would seem that any one curve of Figs. 8 or 9 could be used to ascertain stress, but my present opinion is that anisotropic elects are generally so large that results obtained from such a curve are generally considerably in error and unreliable. By using the procedure I have described dependable results can be obtainedwithin accuracies of 10 percent and better, depending on the calibre of the measuring apparatus and system.

tion, relative to the flux portion in the member from the central pole piece 2 to the pick-up pole piece 5, on the same axis with the pole piece 3; and the same is true for the flux portions along the transverse axis.

While I have shown in Figs. 6-10 curves for tensile stresses, compressive stress will result in utilizable curves which lend themselves to the procedure described.

While I have described my invention in a form which I now believe to be the best mode of application, it is obvious that my invention opens a iiux portion, means for obtaining an electrical quantity measurably responsive to the second said ux portion, and means for subtractively combining said electrical quantities, said magnetomotive force means comprising adjustable means for causing the combination of said electrical quantities to have a minimum absolute value.

11. A stress-measuring instrument of the class described, comprising a rst pole piece; asecond pole piece, spaced from said iirst pole piece; a third pole piece spaced from said rst pole piece; lines joining the axis of the first pole piece with the axes of the second and third pole pieces forming an angle; an exciting coil on said rst pole piece; pick-up coils on said second and third pole pieces; magnetically permeable means connecting an end of said rst pole piece with an end of each of said second and third pole piece; the other ends of said pole pieces being free; and a sub-excitation coil on said second pole piece.

12. A stress-measuring system of the class described, comprising a central pole piece: a rst pair of pick-up pole pieces, one at each side oi said central pole piece on a line therewith; another pick-up pole piece at a side of said central pole piece on a line therewith which is angularly related to the rst said line; an exciting coil for said central pole piece; means for providing magnetic paths from one end of said central pele piece to an end of each of said pick-up pole pieces; the other ends of said pole pieces being free; and separate coil means for responding respectively to ux in each of said pick-up pole pieces.

13. A stress-measuring system of the class described, comprising a central pole piece; a rst pair of pick-up pole pieces, o-ne at each side of said central pole piece on a line therewith; a second pair of pick-up pole pieces. one at each side of said central pole piece on a line therewith which is substantially perpendicular to the first said line; said pole pieces having substantially parallel axes, said pick-up pole pieces being substantially identical and symmetrically spaced about said central pole piece; an exciting coil for said central pole piece; means for providing similar magnetic paths from one end of said central pole piece to an end of each of said pick-up pole pieces; the other ends of said pole pieces being free; separate coil means for responding respectively to the ux in each of said pick-up pole pieces; means for serially connecting the coil means associated with each pole piece of said first pair of pole pieces; means for serially connecting the coil means associated with the each pole piece of said second pair of pole pieces; and

sub-excitation coil means for affecting the ilux through the pole pieces of one of said pairs oi pole pieces.

14. A stress-measuring system of the class described, comprising a central pole piece; a first pair of pick-up pole pieces, one at each side of said central pole piece on a line therewith; a secondlpair of pick-up pole pieces, one at each side of said central pole piece on a line therewith which is substantially perpendicular to the rst said line; said pole pieces having substantially parallel axes, said pick-up pole pieces being substantially identical and symmetrically spaced about said central pole piece; an-exciting coil for said central pole piece; means for providing similar magnetic paths from one end of said central pole piece to an end of each of said pick-up pole pieces.; the other ends of said pole pieces being free; separate pick-up coil means for responding respectively to the flux in each of said pick-up pole pieces; means for serially connecting the coil means associated with each pole piece ofsaid rst pair of pole pieces; means for serially connecting the coil means associated with the each pole piece of said second pair of pole pieces; subexcitation coil means for affecting the ux through the pole piecesgof one of said pairs of pole pieces; means for passing adjustable currents through said exciting coil and-said subexcitation coil means; and means for obtaining a joint indication of a combined response of said separate pick-up coil means.

15. A stress-measuring instrument of the class described, comprising a central pole piece; a first pair of pick-up pole pieces, one on each side of said central pole piece on a line therewith; a second pair of pick-up pole pieces, one on each side of said central pole piece on a line therewith which is substantially perpendicular to the rst said line; an exciting coil on said central pole piece; pick-up coils on each of the pole pieces of said pairs of pole pieces, the pick-up coils of each pair being serially connected; and magnetically permeable means joining an end of said central pole piece with an end of each of said pick-up pieces, the other ends of said pole pieces being free.

16. A device of' the class described comprising, in combination, means for producing a magnetic flux in a plurality of differently stressed portions of a loaded member having magnetic properties which are affected by the load on` the member. and means for automatically comparing a magnetic property of a portion of said member in a direction in which the stress is substantially known with a similar magnetic property of another portion of said member in a direction in which the stress is to be ascertained.

17. Means for ascertaining stress in a stressed ferro-magnetic member having a substantially at surface, comprising means external to said member for establishing a iiux in said member. said means comprising a plurality of arms in substantially right-angular relation for causing said ilux to pass through said surface and divide into a plurality of distinct flux portions in said member extending from a point of said member, means for controlling the relative amounts of ux in said plurality of arms, and means for responding to the flux in said plurality of arms.

18. 'I'he4 method of ascertaining stress in a stressed ferro-magnetic member, which comprises establishing a total flux, causing a portion of the flux to pass in said member for a distance in a direction in which the stress in the member is substantially known, causing another portion of the flux to pass in said member for a distance, substantially the same as that of the first said distance, in a direction in which the member is stressed, and adjusting the total flux to a predetermined value.

19. The method of electro-magnetically ascertaining stress in a stressed ferro-magnetic member substantially independently of anisotropic efiects, which comprises: a first procedure of establishing a first set of magnetic ux portions in said member, which are of opposite senses at each instant in each of two directions at a fixed location with respect to said member, one of said directions being that in which stress occurs, and the other being that in which substantially no stress is present, and utilizing a magnetomotive force to substantially equalize the pairs of ux portions in the said two directions; a second pro- Y neL freccette@ eieeta et the l first precedere with. smother. set ci "e lim portions ciitlierent totel time. the seid first set; end obtaining t1 measure et the diierence Tcetweeri the meenetcmctive forces et the seid. first and second procedures.

25D. The metliocl ol electromeeneticelly neces@ stress in e, stressed ierto-mesnetie teemE substantially independently oi enisotsepic ci@ tests, which comprises: subjecting seeeiriieii different lnowm stresses; st -eecii stress cert'yims eut e met procedure which is characterised icy the eetelrlishment of e first set cilmegoetic mit: pcrtiens in seid specimen, which ere of @emette senses eeen instemt, in eecli si two directions et e lifted location with :respect to seid specimen, one o seid directions beine eloris tl'ie directie@ ci stress, ered the other direction solisten-a m mm (s: (.130 (l tielly elmeg an imstresseri direction, end utilising e meenetcmotive ioice to substantially equalize tite @site of ilus" portions in the saisi iw@ elites tions; carrying out si second precmiure repeatr in eiect, et the seme locetioriv tlie seid rst procedere with smother set oi magnetic iles per ci different total magnitude then tlie seid fiest set; end noting e measure of the ciiiesence between the seid megnetomotive forces oli tile saisi liest and second pi'ocedin'es et eeen of ltl'ie miel diiei'erit known stressesB 2l. Tiiie method ci electromsg'netically esserteinlne stress in s, stressed ferro-magnetic memloer substantially independently of anisotropic ein iects, which eorriprises:v subjecting s. specimen to diiierent lmown stresses; et each sti-ess carrying out e iirst procedure which is chsracterizeduby the esteblishment of a rst set of magnetic flux politicus in said scecix'nen, which are'of opposite senses et esch instant in each oi' two directions et e fixed location with respect to said specimen. f

one oi salddirections being along the direction of stress, end the other direction being substantially along en i1iistre-'esseci direction, and utilizing s magnetomotive iorce to substantially equalize the pairs oi ug portionsin the seid two direc@ tions; carrying out e second procedure rc2/,geeeis-itticin eect, et the 'se location, time seid @rst oree Hcetiune 'f2-sith enotlie set o magnetic aos eertloes ci @Herent tctsl mee'tlitiicle then time sel@ yiii s set; meting e mee-scite oi the elfsrce r @Dees sciiti cliteineel measure with theL Selci noteii mees lires ier substantially esceiteliuing the stress in the lest seitimemlieix l, t

22. The method oic lectromegneticelly esser termine stress in e stressed ferro-magnetic memleer substentielly independently of certain emisotropic effects, which comprises establishing e-set @t magnetic im: vortices of oppcsite senses et eecli instant extending for su steigstieily the seme distance in opposite directions inside seictmem lies item substantially eipoint et e fixed location with respect to salti member,y etici causing eecls @uns portion to cess, in. concentrated ferm, out oi seid member enti inte seperate magnetic amis the arms being homologous so es to produce time seme eiect on said iix portions.

23. The method ci electromegneticelly ascertemine stress in e stressed ferro-magnetic membei substantially independently of sir-gen eects,

magnetic paths including respectively e stressed poron of tlie member sind en unstressed portion of the member, the seid patins extendm out of said member emi passing magnetic ujx portions through saiol paths, hei/irse certain total ux magniturie; end subsequently passing Mierent mnsnctlc flux portiomthrougli seid paths, having :n diierent total ux magnitude. y

24. Means off e class described ior ascertain` ing the Stre in e, portion of e magnetic member subjected to loading?, cemprisinng meses for produc e magnetic flux in said member in :opposite aligned directions in which the stress is substenw tielly lmown sind in opposite aligned cliiections in which the stress is to be ascertained, said mem comprising e plurality oi substantially imsti'essed erms sesooieble with seicl member, through which seiol fluxes pass, emi ineens essocieteri with esiti 

